Can-handling mechanism.



F. H. BIGGS.

CAN HANDLING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 1. ms.

Patented Jan. 7, 1919.

11. OM M. w.

@bzt I 1 3 SHEETS-SHEET I- F. H. BIGGS.

CAN HANDLING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. m5.

1,290,055. Patented Jan. 7, 1919.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 21 lll NU Patented Jan. 7, 191 9.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3 38V 36 IN 39 FIG I5 F H BIGGS CAN HANDLING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 1. m5.

FFTCE.

FRANKLIN H. BIGGS, OF TOLEDO, OHIO, ASSIGhIOR TO THE WOOLSON SPICE COMPANY, OF TOLEDO, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

CAN-HANDLING MECHANISM.

Application filed March 1,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANKLIN H. BIGGS, of Toledo, Lucas county, Ohio, a citizen of the United States of America, have invented new and useful Can-Handling Mechanisms, of which the following is a -specification.

This invention relates to mechanisms'for handling articles, especially for delivering articles to a plurality of places in varying quantities or at independent rates.

This invention has utility when incorporated in can handling mechanisms, say for bringing from a ware house to a packing room and delivering to different packing or filling machines.

Referring tothe drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation with parts broken away of an embodiment of the invention in a can handling mechanism;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary plan view of the mechanism of Fig. 1 where one-belt delivers to the succeeding belt;

Fig. 3 is a section on an enlarged scale on the line IIIIII Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a section on the line IV-IV, Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary plan view'on an enlarged scale ofthe transfer and turning device or delivery from the belt to a gravity w-ayri c is a View on the line vI-vnri s. 1 and 10; a

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary view of a delivery station portion of the mechanism at the. weighing and filling machine;

Fig. 8 is a section on the line VHF-VIII, Fig. 7, looking in the direction of the arrow;

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the terminal can holder and vibrator at the filling station;

' Fig. 10'is a fragmentary view on an enlarged scale of the gravity way and offset branch sections thereof Fig. 11 is a view on the line XI-XI Fig. 10, showing the agitator for coacting in effooting distribution of articles to the different branches;

Fig. 12 is an enlarged section on the line XIIX11 Fig. 1;

Fig. 13 is a section on the line XIII XLIT Figs. 1 and 7, looking in the direction of the arrow; and

ig. 14 s a sec ion on the line XIV Le te ram. Patented Jan. 7, 1919.

1915. Serial No. 11,172.

actuate the belt 12 passing over the pulley 13. The upper reach of this belt 12 is along the way 14 upon which may be placed cylindrical articles or cans 15 having the closed flat end 16 disposed on the belt 12. These cans or articles 15 may be variously placed in position between the bars 17 yieldably mounted upon the spring brackets 18 to urge the cans 15 into single file travel toward the guide section 19.

The cans on the reach of the belt 12 will follow this guide section 19 and urge the cans thereon across to the upwardly inclined top reach of the belt 4, with which belt 4, on the way 20, the cans 15 travel in single file between the guides 21.

Delivery is then had of the cans throu h the housing or box guide section 22 and the bend section 23 into the twist 01' 90 turn section 24 (F ig. 5), which turning section 24 swings the cans to rest sidewise so that they may roll .down the gravity way 25. This gravity way 25 comprises angle bars 26 (Fig. 6) upon which the can 15 may rest. These angle bars 26 are carried by the bracket member 27 supported by the bolts 28 suspending the way in position.

To maintain the cans in single file travel lateral guide strips 29 and a top guide strip 30 are mounted by the straps 32 on the bracket member 27.. At positions between the bracket members 27, minor brackets 33 (Fig. 12) are provided to carry the top arch. member 32 carrying the guide pieces 29 and 30.

To care for the distribution of this mechanism, the way may be ofl'set (Fig. 10) having the continuous branch 34 and the plurality of lateral branches or offsets 35. In position at the entrance to the lateral branches may be disposed the shaft 36 having projections 37 thereon operabletoward the branches 35 to provide agitators to engage the cans 15 and efiect distribution of .the cans between the branches 34 and 35 by first filling the branch 35. This shaft 36 may be driven by the pulley 38 actuated by the belt 39 (Fig. 11.) As shown in Figs. 1 and the Ways from which the branches lead 011' are provided with ofl'sets or drop portions marking a division between the successive same incline portions of the main ways. This insures supply of articles to the branch, and when such branch is filled, the article position in the branch has no tendency to interfere with free supply of articles therebeyond.

Considering the oontinuous section 34 of the way as the succeeding section, this section may be cut out or rendered inoperative by the arm 40 swung into the section 34 by the handle 41 actuating through the crank 42. This arm 40 enters the way 34 to one side of the guide member 30. When the way 34 is thus cut off the supply from the section 25 passes to the plurality of sections 35. These sections may be branches successively by oflsets similar to the oflset shown in Fig. 10 to supply cans to the de livery stations, and vibrators, of which but one is illustrated. I

-In the way section adjacent the terminal section the way is curved to bring the cans from the rolling position to the open end up position. This way 43 (Figs. 7, 8) comprises the lower guide member 44, the two pairs of side guide members 45 and the top guide member 46 embraced by the yoke member 47. This curved chute or gravity way may terminate at the filling platform 48 and have a terminal can holder 49 having the hinged pin 50 to swingably connect this terminal section 49 to the way section 43. This terminal section carries the side guides 51, 52. The guide 52 has the slots 53 through which bolts 54 extend to wing nuts 55 to engage adjustably the yoke 56 to position the terminal can so that at the offset branch the way 43 when filled will have a can at the branch in such a position that the succeeding branch way is not clogged thereby. With this adjustment, each way or branch may be keptfully charged with cans and the separate ways may have their supplies of cans varying in rate or quantities independent of the quantities taken by any other delivery station.

With this yoke 56 adjusted, the filling spout 57 may be swung into proper position thereover so that the supply of fine or dry material, say coffee, from the magazine 58 may be delivered to the weighing machine .59 and be supplied to can 1 5 in position under the spout 57. During this filling operation the guide 60 below the free' end of the terminal section 49 has reciprocating therethrough to vibrate the section 49 the pin61 eccentrically mounted as to the shaft 62': carryingpulley 63 driven by the belt 64 from the pulley 65 on the shaft 66 actuated by the pulley 67 driven bythe belt 68. With the material thus automatically shaken down into the can 15, the attendant may place the cover or li'd thereon, put the can on the inclined Way 69 so that the filled covered can 70 may be delivered to the labeling machine 71 or otherwise carried away for packing.

In the operation of this device the cans may be placed upon the belt 12 in the factory warehouse or at some remote place from the filling room and with the belts 12 and 4 operated, a constant supply of cans may be provided for the way 25. With the way 25 fully charged, the cans are held back the demands may be difierent and when any can is taken from any station the automatic switching immediately brings another can into position and the belt 4 moves up one can all along the mechanism leading to the station from which a can has been re: moved.

The belt 4 is a sortv of magazine or surplus can or vessel holding section which will bring up new cans but still may retain cans thereon notwithstanding the belt moves relatively to the cans. This, of course, is a driven section, while for the'automatic independent supply the cans are turned to permit rolling down as urged by the belt pushing under the cans thereon. The offsets or branches are adjusted by adjusting the closure accordingly alfords a continuous supply of containers with the floor space adjacent the filling machines kept free thereof. One man readily. supplies cans for many filling machines. There is accordingly no occasion for litter from containers in the filling machine room. The cans are delivered exactly in the position desired by the attendant. In fact, with the cans thus automatically delivered, all the attendant at the filling station has to do is to remove the filled can when the material is shaken down therein.

There is great saving in floor space as well as increased efliciency in handling machines at a greatly reduced labor cost.

When articles, which have walls rather light and accordingly liable to be crushed when pressure is ap lied thereto, are vessels of the kind handled in this machine, it is desirable to relieve any excess of pressure which might accrue in the chute 43 leading to the yoke 56. This may be accomplished handled. \Vith very rigid articles the chute I 43 might be of greater extent to stand greater pressure even up to direct connection to the way 25.

What is claimed and it is desired to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. Mechanismfor handling cylindrical articles each having a flat end, comprising a delivery way, a chute connected with the delivery way for turning the articles to flat end supporting position, and an adjustable terminal for the chute for determining the position of the article in the chute at the terminal.

'2. Mechanism for handling cylindrical articles each having a flat end, com rising a delivery way, a chute connected with the delivery way for turning the articles to flat end supporting position, said ichute comprising a movable section, and a vibrator for the movable section of the chute.

a delivery way, a chute connected wlth the-- 30 delivery way for turning the articles to a flat end supporting position, there being an adjustable terminal for the .chute, and a vibrator for the adjustable terminal of the chute.

4. Mechanism for handling vessels, comprising a plurality of stations, a way having branches, one branch leading to each station, and means for adjusting each branch terminus to permit an article in the branch adjacent the way to clear the way.

5. Mechanism for handling vessels comprising a plurality of stations, a common way having a vessel delivering branch leading to eachstation, each branch including a movable section, and a vibrator for such movable section.

6. Mechanism for handling articles, comprising a station, an article handling inclined gravity way provided with a drop ofi'set from the incline thereof, an agitator FRANKLIN H. BIGGS. Witnesses GEO. E. Klan, GLADYS JAMESON.

adjacent the offset, and a branch to connect I 

